Floods: Finance

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of funding allocated to Gloucestershire for  (a) flood recovery and  (b) the introduction of flood prevention measures has been drawn down.

John Healey: To date £14,844,900 has been awarded to councils within Gloucestershire to support their recovery from the floods last summer. This includes £2,632,000 in Flood Recovery Grant, paid by the Department for Communities and Local Government to the county's six district councils to support flood affected communities. It is for authorities in receipt of grant to decide how to use and distribute any funding locally.
	Flood affected local authorities have also been able to apply to Communities and Local Government for help through the Bellwin scheme which provides financial assistance to local authorities dealing with emergencies. Exceptionally, the terms of the present schemes, have been made more generous because of the circumstances of the recent floods. Gloucestershire county council received an interim payment of £1.1 million to help with its costs in clearing up after last summers floods and Gloucester city council received an interim payment of £114,000. Both may receive further payments once they submit final claims. Claims have also recently been received from Gloucestershire police, Worcester city council, Cheltenham borough council and Cotswold district council.
	Gloucestershire county council was allocated £1,007,900 from the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
	The Department of Transport has agreed to provide Gloucestershire with £10,000,000 for the repairs required to local roads. Assessments are continuing and further funding is expected to be confirmed when that work is complete.
	The Environment Agency's estimated annual spend in Gloucestershire on controlling development, flood warning and awareness, flood risk mapping, maintenance of flood defences and watercourses is 1.5 million. They have spent an estimated extra £400,000 in Gloucestershire since the summer floods of 2007 on flood recovery, data collection, watercourse maintenance and repairs to flood defence assets.